


just for tonight, lets forget it all

by spiritinthelibrary



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Ballroom Dancing, Breakfast conversations are where all the tea gets spilt, Canon/OC - Freeform, Confessions, Drunk Erwin is the best Erwin, Eva is a BAMF, Eva says eat the rich, F/M, Fancy Dress, Fluff, Hange is an oblivious mess, i wrote this for a friend on tumblr but i dont post there so its going here, let the kids have a night off, slight harrassment if you squint but the guy gets served so its okay, this is over 8000 words holy heckity heck
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-09
Updated: 2021-03-09
Packaged: 2021-03-16 07:36:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,385
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29946645
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spiritinthelibrary/pseuds/spiritinthelibrary
Summary: Eva Stein is a Squad Leader in the Survey Corps. She's fought countless hordes of Titans, saved the life of her comrades over and over, has been through hell and back, and can easily (and willingly) beat a man to a pulp if they try to touch her coffee.Yet, around her commander, she's never been weaker, especially when he asks her to accompany her to a formal event in Wall Sina. The opportunity to be by Erwin's side, dancing with him in front of a room full of men and women who most likely hate her guts? And, what's more, seeing Erwin dressed up and regal, staring at her in the lights of the chandelier?Yeah, she's more than a little screwed.
Relationships: Erwin Smith/Eva Stein (OC), Erwin Smith/Original Character(s), Erwin Smith/Original Female Character(s), Levi Ackerman/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 7





	just for tonight, lets forget it all

**Author's Note:**

  * For [miusmius](https://archiveofourown.org/users/miusmius/gifts).



“Not this shit again”

Eva looked up from her tin cup of coffee (her third that morning, despite insisting to everyone around her that it was her first) to see Levi staring at the piece of paper that had just been handed to him, the unfortunate messenger scurrying quickly out of the mess hall. It wasn’t Levi’s grumbling that had piqued her interest; in her time in the Corps, Eva had gotten used to the irritated scowl that often was found on the face of Humanity’s Strongest. What had gained her notice, however, was the gilt edging on the parchment, and the overall disgust in the mutters edging forth from Levi’s mouth.

“These Capitol bastards complain that we waste our money pointlessly… and yet, every year, we get dragged out to witness them stuffing their faces like greedy pigs…unbelievable…”

Seeing no time like the present, Eva leaned forward. “What’s that about, Levi?”.

The captain’s gaze lifted from the paper, his eyes steely with annoyance. “Oh, just the MP’s yearly endeavor to humiliate the Scouts and make us look like fools in front of the entire nobility”, he deadpanned, the sarcasm in his voice doubled from usual.

Puzzled, Eva looked over to Levi’s immediate right, where her friend Freyja sat looking amused. “Translation, please?” Eva asked, staring at the squad leader as she smeared apple jam on a roll.

“Every year, the King’s Council organizes a Commander’s Gala, where the higher-ups from each branch of the military are invited to present themselves before the nobility to be recognized for their service”, Freyja explained, screwing the lid back on her jam and tucking it next to her. “The council claims that it’s supposed to be a big honor, a commendation for all the work that the military has done in the past year, but it’s really just an excuse for the capital-dwellers to get dressed up and heckle the Scouts with the permission of the Military Police. Not that they need a reason to do that, of course”.

“...I see”, Eva said, watching as Levi swatted Freyja’s hand away from his teapot. “So if it's a party for the command, who’s usually invited?”.

“Normally, it’s just the top-ranking officials, so most of the time it’s Erwin, Levi and occasionally Mike. Even the squad leaders aren’t invited, but I doubt any of them would want to go anyways”, Freyja replied, taking a bite out of her roll.

“The most annoying part of this shit isn’t even those idiots in the Capitol”, Levi grumbled, drawing Eva’s attention back to him. “It’s the fact that they force us to get another person to endure this misery with us”.

“By that, he means the event requires a plus-one” Freyja said.

At that, Eva almost spit out her coffee. “Like a date??”, she said, and upon seeing Levi’s annoyed stare, she slapped a hand over her mouth to stifle her laughter. “Gods, Levi, I didn’t know you were that romantically uptight that you couldn’t even find a single woman to hold your arm for a few hours”.

Levi raised an eyebrow. “What are you getting at?”, he grumbled, watching as the blue-haired girl tried (and failed) to control the laughter that bubbled out of her.

“You know, there’s about fifty cadets who stare at you during training every week. I’m sure any one of them would be happy to spend just an hour in your glorious presence”.

“Oi, watch who you’re laughing at. I could easily put you on stable duty for the next two weeks”, 

“You’d better make sure that she doesn’t wear heels, Levi, otherwise she might have to lead you in a dance” 

“I said, shut it, Stein!”

“Alright, alright”, Eva said, enjoying the sight of the captain’s exasperated expression as she took a sip of her coffee, a shit-eating grin spread across her face. Levi shot her another death stare, before huffing and turning to Freyja, who had been watching the whole affair with an amused smirk. 

“If I promise to give you some of my good tea, will you-”

“-Nice try, Captain, but you’re not fooling me this time. I’d rather fight the entire Titan population on my own than have to dress myself up for all those snobs and be humiliated...again”, Freyja interrupted. “If you need someone who’ll go with you, ask Hange”

“Ask me what?”

Turning towards the door, Eva saw the scientist in question stride into the room, their hair mussed more than usual. Despite the fact that it was relatively early in the morning, an over-energetic smile was spread on their face, which only prompted Eva to subtly move the coffee pot away from Hange’s side of the table. Gods only knows what would happen if Hange got caffeine into their system, she thought with a shudder.

“None of your business, four-eyes”, Levi grumbled, his eyes narrowing further in annoyance. Hange’s smile didn’t waver.

“Suit yourself, then! I’ll figure it out eventually”, they said, vaulting over the bench to sit on Eva’s left. “Sorry I’m late to breakfast, everyone! Erwin and I were discussing plans for the next expedition, and we kind of got a bit carried away”.

At the mention of the Commander, Eva, despite her best efforts, felt a surge of heat rush to her face. She immediately tried to banish all thoughts of Erwin from her mind, but her stubborn mind persisted. Over the past few months, the stern blonde had occupied much of her attention, for reasons that she failed to explain. It wasn’t that the commander had paid her any special notice in the last few expeditions... at least not besides his usual playful smirks, and the occasional flirt, but that was just Erwin’s nature, right? Or the one time he had walked with her back to her dorm after a late night in the library... or the time in front of the fireplace…

The knowing smirk from Levi across the table snapped Eva back to reality, and she just then noticed how red her face had become. Draining the last of her cup, she fought to compose herself, turning to Hange to hide from Levi’s appraisal. “So, Hange, what do you think about all of this gala business?” 

“What gala?”, Hange questioned, before their eyes found the gilded invitation in Levi’s hand. “Ahh, so that’s what you all were talking about. Well, personally, I’ve always thought it was a huge waste of time, but then again, I’ve never been. Perhaps if I had been invited, who knows? I might be able to convince someone in the King’s Council to grant us more funding for Titan research, or find a patron for my experiments…!” Hange trailed off, the mad look coming into their eyes as they fell into their usual reverie.

“Well, if you’re interested, Levi needs a plus-one, so feel free to jump in instead of me”, Freyja said, causing Levi to look over to her incredulously. If looks could kill, Eva thought to herself, this girl would be a grease spot by now.

But the damage was done, and Hange’s eyes immediately lit up. “Really?!? Aww, Levi, is this what you were going to ask me earlier?!?”, they shouted, immediately beginning a new set of ramblings. Levi shrunk back in his chair in exhaustion, and Eva could hear him muttering under his breath. 

“Damn it, Freyja, look what you did now… where the hell is Erwin when you need him…?”

Surprisingly, Hange paused for a moment upon hearing Levi’s grumbling. “Actually, now that you mention it, Erwin did mention the gala this morning in passing. I think he was also trying to figure out who to bring as his own date”.

“With the amount of women in Wall Rose who fawn over him every time he walks out of headquarters, I doubt he’ll have a problem”, Levi said, causing Eva to look down at her lap slightly. Despite hearing the telltale sound of Freyja elbowing Levi in the side to get him to shut up, she couldn’t deny that the captain was right. Erwin had a lot of admirers, and compared to them, she was no one special; just another soldier infatuated with their superior. Figuring there was no point in continuing to listen to the obvious, she almost missed Hange’s next comment.

“Actually, I think Erwin said he already had a person in mind, though he wouldn’t say who. Surprising, really… I never thought Erwin to be the type to ask a girl out”  
“Well, whoever he chooses, she must be a pretty lucky woman”

“Excuse me, Eva”

The sound of a deep baritone from behind her sent a jolt running through Eva’s entire body, and she fought hard to slow her pounding heartbeat as she took in the silenced voices of the soldiers around her. Swiveling around in her seat, Eva looked up into the face of the commander himself, his blue eyes regarding her with an interested expression. Unlike Hange, Erwin looked as put together and handsome as always, his blonde hair combed neatly and his face appearing attractively chiseled in the shadows from his eyebrows and nose. A small smile graced his face, causing a smile to involuntarily creep onto Eva’s own, and she was so caught up in admiring him that she almost didn’t notice the piece of paper he was holding out to her. “Commander… what’s this?”, she asked, trying her best not to stutter. You’re a soldier, for Maria’s sake, keep it together!, she chided herself

Erwin glanced at her, a soft light creeping into his gaze. “I was hoping you would do me the honor of accompanying me to the Commander’s Gala tomorrow evening. If that’s alright with you, that is”, he said, each word commanding and yet gentle.

Despite her fluttering heart, Eva’s mouth quirked up in an amused smile. “I’m flattered, Erwin, but I doubt I’m the kind of girl that the Commander of the Survey Corps would want to be associated with. Wouldn’t you prefer to ask some pretty thing from inside Wall Sina?”, she teased lightheartedly, crossing one leg over the other.

Erwin smirked in reply. “Perhaps, but why would I do that when I could ask the most beautiful woman in the regiment to go with me? I’d be honored to have her on my arm”, he said, his voice silky smooth.

At that, Eva felt her face explode in bright red, and she could hear the snickers and grumbling from her comrades behind her. Making a mental note to punch all of them later, Eva turned her attention back to the commander. “Well, then, I’d be happy to accept your invitation”, she said, hardly believing the words coming out of her mouth.

“Excellent”, Erwin said, his hand slightly lingering as she took the gilded invitation from him. “The dress is formal attire, but don’t concern yourself if you can’t find anything suitable. I’ll meet you tomorrow evening in the front courtyard”. With that, he gave Eva one last heart-melting smile, before turning and striding away.

As soon as Erwin’s figure exited the mess hall, Eva slumped back against the wooden edge of the table, the dizziness in her head distracting her from Hange’s exaggerated teasing. Desperately trying to control her raging heart, she clutched the invitation to her chest, before turning around to face her friends. Levi’s annoyed frown was hidden behind the rim of his teacup, but Freyja was staring at her with a knowing expression that almost made Eva self-combust from embarrassment. “Well, that was… unexpected”, she managed to stammer out.

“Mmhmm”, Freyja said, clearly amused. “On second thought, Levi, I accept your invitation. I have to see how this goes”.

“HEY?! What about my research funding?!”

*******************************************************************************************

Eva grumbled as she stared at the mainly empty space in her wardrobe. “Don’t the people in the interior recognize that soldiers aren’t exactly the kind of people to own formal dresses?”, she huffed, searching through the small stacks of shirts, pants and skirts that comprised the majority of her possessions. “I mean, why can’t I just wear my green uniform jacket?”

“You’re telling me. Even the guys have it easier, because they have formal military suits. The only reason I was able to find something was because I was Levi’s plus-one last year”, Freyja said, from her place on the other side of the room. Eva’s fellow soldier had already dressed for the event, and was currently wearing a burgundy-colored dress, with a slightly scalloped neckline and long lace sleeves. Her hair was pulled away from her face and pinned back with a small rosette, and she looked pretty yet still serious as her eyes followed Eva’s frantic movements. “Did Erwin say anything to you about what kind of dress to look for?”

“No, he just told me “don’t worry about it”, as if that helps”, Eva shot back, pulling out an old dress in a shade of light yellow that barely fell to her knees. Holding it up, she turned to Freyja. “Do you think this would work?”

“Erm…” Freyja looked uncomfortable. “Do you have any other options?”

Eva let out a groan and threw the dress on the bed, flopping down onto her back. “This is pointless! I knew I shouldn’t have accepted Erwin’s invitation… I’m only going to embarrass him in front of the entire royal court”, she said, running her hands over her face.

“Hey, hey, don’t say that”, Freyja said, moving over to the wardrobe and rifling through its contents. “If Erwin didn’t want you to go with him, he wouldn’t have sought you out like he did just to insist you be his date. You’re obviously very special to him, Eva, and I think you know that too”.

Eva’s heart thumped warmly, and she lowered her hands from her face. “You really know me well at this point, don’t you?”, she chuckled.

“I’d be a bad friend if I didn’t”, Freyja smiled as she pulled out a cream-colored dress from the back of the wardrobe. “Here, I think this would be the best option if nothing else can be found. I’ll help you do your hair”.  
Eva sighed and stood up from her bed, but right as she was about to walk over to her desk chair, a steady knock sounded at the door, causing both women to look at each other, confused. Seeing Freyja’s puzzled shrug, Eva narrowed her eyes and walked over to the door, opening it to find a young soldier holding a wrapped package in his hands. “Can I help you?”, Eva asked, raising an eyebrow at the messenger’s flustered appearance.

The soldier cleared his throat before speaking. “Squad Leader Stein, I was sent by Commander Erwin to see if you were having trouble finding appropriate attire for tonight’s event, and if you are, I was instructed to give you this”, he said, holding out the parcel.

Eva took the package from him, surprised to find that it was lighter than she expected. “What is it?”, she asked.

“The commander didn’t say, ma’am. All he said was to give it to you, and to tell you that he hoped you found it suitable”.

The messenger’s comment sparked Eva’s interest, and she nodded. “Very well, then. Tell the commander I send my thanks”, she said, and the soldier saluted before walking off down the hall.

Closing the door behind him, Eva carried the package over to her bed, where Freyja sat, examining her with interest. “So, what was that about? What did he give you?”, she asked, eyeing the present.

“A… a gift from Erwin, I guess. He didn’t say what it was, though”, Eva said, staring down at the paper enclosing the parcel.

“Well, open it, then!”

With slightly trembling hands, Eva peeled back the first layer of wrapping, finding a silky grey substance under her fingers. “It’s...fabric?” she said, puzzled, before pulling open the rest of the package. All at once, a stream of the material rushed out from the paper, and Eva fumbled to grab the item before it crumpled to the floor.

“Oh my gods…”

Eva looked over to Freyja, who was staring at the thing in Eva’s arms with widened eyes. Looking closely at the object, Eva felt the air leave her lungs. She held in her arms a beautiful dress, the base shade a pale greyish-blue, almost a lighter variant of her own hair. The neckline was styled in a halter fashion (at least, she thought that was what it was called), and the skirt was full length and flowing. But what really caught her attention was the layer of silvery fabric that covered the skirt and bodice. Inside its silken texture, Eva could make out embroidered patterns that glittered in the light. They looked like tree branches, or potentially feathers, and every movement of the dress caused the color to shift tranquilly between blue and silver. “It’s… beautiful”, she finally breathed, “I’ve never owned anything this expensive in my life!”

“Shit...Erwin must really like you”, Freyja commented, causing Eva’s face to light up. Erwin had bought her this dress, and she was about to wear it in front of him… yep, she was totally screwed. “Maria, Rose, and Sina, I have no idea what I’m doing”, she said, her voice trembling despite her will.

“What you’re doing is preparing to knock Commander Eyebrows off his feet”, Freyja said enthusiastically, walking over and placing a hand on Eva’s shoulder. “The man won’t know what hit him when you walk into the room”.

At that, a surge of confidence shot through Eva, and an energetic smile somehow found its way onto her face. “You know what, you’re right. You and I are both going to give these guys a hell of a time”, she said, laughing at Freyja’s own blush at the insinuation of her words.

“Fair enough”, she said finally, before maneuvering Eva towards her private bathroom. “Now, hurry up and get changed. We’ve only got a few hours, and I still have to do your hair!”

“Yes, ma’am!”, Eva grinned, stepping into the bathroom before looking over her shoulder. “By the way, I’m pretty sure that red is one of Levi’s favorite colors”, she teased, before shutting the door on Freyja’s embarrassed attempts to defend herself.

*******************************************************************************************

The chilled wind blowing through the courtyard sent a shiver up Eva’s spine and caused her to pull her borrowed shawl closer around her shoulders. Despite the cold, she had to admit that the night was quite lovely from where she stood- up above her, the evening sky was just fading to blue, and already a multitude of stars were peeking out from their hiding places. The moon had slightly peaked over the edge of the base’s walls, and the light from the golden shine of the streetlamps gave a metallic glow to the cobblestones and the wood of the two carriages before her. It was definitely a sight she didn’t always get to appreciate - although, she would appreciate it more if she wasn’t stuck waiting in the night air.

Beside her, Freyja shivered and rubbed her arms. “Where the hell are those two? I mean, I would expect Levi to be late, but it's unlike Erwin to not be punctual when he’s the one who invited you”, she grumbled, the wind shifting her dress slightly.

“Oi, I can hear you, you know”.

Turning around, Eva saw Levi emerging from the door to the headquarters, one hand tucked in his pocket. He was dressed in his usual semi-formal attire, but Eva noticed that slight alterations had been made. His familiar black jacket had been cleaned and buttoned, his cravat appeared neater, and Eva could just see the edges of a dark red waistcoat peeking out from under his jacket. While Eva suspected that Freyja had her hand in the design choices, she had to admit that Levi looked good, even if he wasn’t her type.

Freyja seemed to agree, and Eva smiled at the slight blush that crept over her friend’s face in the low light. “Well, Captain, you certainly took your time. While I must say that you clean up well, it's not polite to leave a girl waiting”, Freyja teased, before looking behind him. “Where’s Erwin?”

“Don’t sass me, Brandt. It’s not like I can do the same thing as you, and throw on a dress to immediately look attractive”, Levi grumbled, though Eva chuckled at seeing the Captain’s own face appearing slightly flustered by her teasing. Missing Freyja’s blush at his unexpected compliment, Levi continued. “And as for Erwin, he said he’d be right out. Said he needed to grab something”.

“Sorry to keep you all waiting”.

At the sound of Erwin’s voice, Eva’s head immediately snapped to the right, and what she beheld in front of her nearly made her collapse on the spot.

Erwin, unlike Levi, was dressed completely in his military formal wear. Instead of a suit jacket, he wore a red tunic with gold embroidery around the collar and hem. His broad shoulders were accentuated with gold epaulets, and several cords of gold braids ran from his right shoulder across his chest. His shoes and pants were black and spotless, and a belt of gold and white fabric was cinched around his waist, accentuating his chest. His green commander’s bolo tie hung from his collar, and the left side of his uniform was decorated with medals. To Eva, he was far more than his usual level of handsome; he was downright regal.

Pinching herself to keep from combusting, Eva allowed herself to enjoy the sight of the man in front of her, a smile automatically coming to her face. “Good evening, Commander. You look handsome this evening”, she said, relishing the split second of bewilderment that passed over Erwin’s face at the flirting, before he cleared his throat, composing himself.

“I could say the same to you, Eva. Well, I mean, you look beautiful, not handsome but you get what I mean”, Erwin said, and Eva giggled slightly as she saw a slight drop of sweat appear at the Commander’s temple. She was half-tempted to reach up and brush it away when she saw Erwin holding a box out to her. “For you”, he said, rubbing the back of his neck.

Stunned, Eva took the box from him. “Thank you…”, she said, opening the box and letting out a slight gasp at its contents. Inside was a small silver bracelet, its chain fashioned to look like an interwoven pattern of leaves. “It’s… beautiful”, she breathed, causing Erwin to smile as he picked the bracelet up and fastened it around her wrist.

“I saw it in the marketplace the other day, and thought about that time you mentioned that one of your favorite things about being in the Scouts is getting to fly through the trees, as if you were a bird”, the commander said, his blue eyes soft. “I thought it was fitting”.

Eva blushed, and her smile grew. “Thank you, Erwin”, she said, her heart growing warmer by the second.

Erwin smiled down at her, and seemed on the verge of saying something more, before a clock chimed in the distance, snapping him back to his senses. He cleared his throat again, and Eva felt slightly disappointed as he reverted back into his more formal demeanor. “Shall we?”, he said, opening the door of their carriage for her. Eva nodded slightly, and, lifting the hem of her dress, allowed Erwin to help her into the coach, seating herself in the corner just as the vehicle jolted into motion.

The ride through the districts and into Wall Sina passed somewhat awkwardly, and Eva, in the hope of filling the silence, resorted to gazing out the window as they passed through the interior. As much as she disliked the stuffy attitude of the Military Police and the citizens of the inner walls, she had to admit that the capital was breathtaking, even at this time of night. As they drew closer to the King’s residence and to the formal banquet hall that the event was taking place in, she marveled at the bustling activity and warm atmosphere of the marketplaces and streets that they passed through, the citizens appearing joyful in their ignorance of the horrors that lay beyond their comfort. It was both reassuring and somewhat sickening, seeing as many of Eva’s friends had given their lives for these people’s complacency.

She was jolted out of her train of thought when the carriage stopped in front of the hall, and Erwin immediately opened the door and jumped out of the carriage, before turning and offering her his hand. “Allow me?”, he asked, his face doing its best to remain neutral. 

Smiling slightly, Eva nodded and grasped Erwin’s hand, stepping out of the coach. Just as she was about to retract her hand, however, she felt Erwin firmly grasp her fingers, guiding her hand to rest in the crook of his arm. A feeling of giddiness rose in her at his intention, and softly, Eva looped her arm through Erwin’s, resting her other hand on his forearm. Beneath her fingers, she could feel Erwin’s pulse hammering, and she gently squeezed his arm in reassurance. “Everything’s going to be fine… just relax, I’ve got your back”, she whispered to him, a thread of relief passing through her as Erwin looked down at her softly.

“Thank you, Eva”

Entering the hallway behind Levi and Freyja, who were bickering amongst themselves, Eva’s eyes widened at the opulence of the hall around her. The light from the crystal chandelier fell softly on the assembled crowd, who were all styled up in the latest fashions. Eva could make out several members of the military elite in uniform, mingling with members of the king’s council and elegant ladies whose dresses and accessories made even her own gown seem insufficient. A large dance floor had been cleared in the center of the room, and several couples were twirling to music provided by a small string ensemble. And off to the side of the room, where Eva’s gaze immediately fixed, was a long buffet table of hors d’oeuvres, delicacies and pastries, around which several officers stood, chatting with their cocktails.

Drawing her gaze back to Erwin, Eva saw the commander looking at her expectantly, and she felt a small blush cling to her cheeks. “So, what should we do before I feel the urge to run off and hide from all these people?”, she joked. Erwin laughed, and seemed to think for a moment.

“Well, if you’re willing, would you want to-”

“Commander Erwin!”

Eva slightly jumped at the intrusion to their conversation, but she composed herself as Erwin sighed and turned to address the owner of the voice. Standing in front of her was Nile Dok, the commander of the Military Police, flanked by two of his officers. An immediate urge rushed into Eva’s chest to punch the man- they had interacted more than once, and the commander was nothing less than a grade-A asshole. Despite this, she forced a smile, gripping onto Erwin’s arm a little tighter.

“Hello, Nile. I trust you’re well?”, Erwin said, his formality returning in a second.

“As well as I can be, which is better than you can say, I’d imagine”, the commander drawled, before turning to look at Eva with an unimpressed once-over. “And you... it’s Stern, correct?”

Gritting her teeth, Eva opened her mouth to lash out at the commander, before she was cut off by Erwin. “This is Eva Stein, Nile, one of my finest officers and a leading veteran in the Survey Corps. She has saved many of my subordinates’ lives countless times, and both I and this country owe her a great deal for her courage”. His gaze sharp as steel, Erwin stared down the other commander with an intensity that Eva found frightening (and also hot as hell, if she was being honest with herself). “Perhaps you would be so kind as to address her with the proper respect, Commander?”

Nile’s demeanor didn’t falter, but he seemed to glance at Eva in a new light, as if appraising her value. “I see… my apologies then, Miss Stein”, he said, before looking away from her to address Erwin once again. “Regardless, I didn’t just come over here to swap pleasantries. There are a few members of the nobility who wish to speak with you regarding the latest military budget reports. They seemed rather impatient when I left them, so I’d advise you to not keep them waiting”.

Erwin sighed, a defeated expression creeping onto his face. “I understand”, he said, before looking down at Eva with a disappointed smile. “I hate to leave you so quickly, but you’ll have to excuse me for a few moments. I’ll come find you again when I finish my conversation”, he said, his eyes seeming to multiply his dismay.

Despite the rush of disappointment that passed through her own body, Eva smiled, unlocking her arm from Erwin’s and immediately feeling the loss of his warmth pressed into her side. “I understand. I’ll be around when you’re done, okay?”, she said, offering a slight wave to Erwin as he disappeared into the crowd. 

Seeing no better options, Eva huffed out an annoyed breath and made her way to the side of the ballroom, her eyes scanning the crowd for any sign of Levi or Freyja. Unable to spot either of her friends, she instead made her way over to the buffet table, her mood improving slightly at the sight of all the different cuisines. Loading a small plate with canapes and grabbing a glass of wine, Eva found a small chair and sat off to the side, watching the couples in front of her twirl elegantly. Every so often, she would spot Erwin across the room, chatting with the noblemen with a glass of wine in hand. When he looked over in her direction, Eva would try her best to make eye contact with him and wave, and she was surprised to see that, whenever Erwin’s gaze landed on her, he would immediately look away and take a long sip of his wine. Puzzled slightly by his behavior, Eva instead focused her attention on enjoying her plate of appetizers (which were, to their credit, heavenly), and was just beginning to ease herself into her surroundings when a voice from the side of her caught her attention.

“Who let you in here, commoner?”

Eva’s head immediately snapped to the right, and she beheld a young man dressed up in the attire of a nobleman, leering at her smugly with a flute of liquor in his hand. “I’m sorry?”, she asked lowly, her eyebrow raised as she felt herself bristling at his condescension.

“You heard me. I mean, it’s obvious by your dress that you aren’t from around here… or at least, you weren’t invited here on your own”, the young man said, his brown hair falling over his face as he leaned towards her with a snide grin. “So tell me, which one of those military snobs is paying you to accompany them? I want to let them know that they could afford to spend their money on a more attractive choice next time”.

At his insinuation, Eva saw red. She immediately stood up from her chair, striding forward until she was face to face with the man. “I’ll have you know, bastard, that I am not some courtesan like the ones you obviously hang out with. I have served the military since I was fifteen years old and am one of the highest ranking veterans in the Survey Corps, and I could easily and willingly break you like a twig. So don’t even tempt me”, she snapped, her blue eyes boring into him with rage.

For a moment, the man appeared shocked, but the cruel smile was quick to return to his face. “My, my, you’ve got some nerve to speak to a member of the higher class like that”, he sneered. Before Eva could blink, he placed his glass down and slammed his hands on either side of the table next to her, effectively attempting to trap her in his vicinity. Eva stepped back, feeling her legs brush against the table’s edge as she leaned backwards to avoid the man’s face leaning towards her. “Lucky for you, I’m in a forgiving mood today, so if you do as I say and be a good little peasant, I might just forget reporting you to your superiors”, he sneered, his eyes flickering over her hungrily.

Eva’s eyes widened, but she balled her fists in preparation. “Why, you-”

“Hands away from the lady, jackass”

The sound of Erwin’s voice was like music to Eva’s ears, and she relished the flabbergasted look on her assaulter’s face as he looked over to the blond soldier with disbelief. “Who do you think you are? Do you even know who I am?”, the man hissed, his voice almost a shriek.

“Erwin Smith, 13th Commander of the Survey Corps and second in line for position of Commander-in-Chief”, Erwin stated, his eyes boring into the nobleman’s like ice. “And unfortunately for you, I know exactly who you are- you’re Lewis Reed, a former member of the King’s Privy Council who was disgraced and stripped of your title for swindling citizens out of their tax money. So before you try to prance around and intimidate others who outclass you, think about who truly holds more power here”.

The man’s jaw dropped, and Eva grinned as she shoved Reed back from her, sauntering over to Erwin as the lord shrank like a kicked puppy behind her. “Let’s go somewhere more friendly, Commander”, she said, with Erwin offering a small chuckle and following close at her side.

As they made their way around the side of the ballroom, Eva looked to Erwin appraisingly. “You know, while I’m grateful for the assist, you didn’t have to come to my rescue like that. I could’ve handled myself fine on my own”, she said, crossing her arms slightly.

At that, Erwin actually laughed, and Eva was pleasantly surprised at his relaxed atmosphere. “Oh, believe me, I know”, he said, looking at her fondly. “In fact, the reason I came over was because I wanted to stop you from hurting him. You looked like you were gearing up for murder”.

“Don’t tempt me, Erwin”, Eva laughed, shaking her head. “I swear, the nerve of these nobleman pricks…”

“Not going to lie, watching you beat up that guy would’ve been really hot”

“In your dreams, Commander”, Eva said, fighting the raving blush that threatened to spill across her face at Erwin’s shameless flirting. Looking up at the Commander, she noticed a twinge of red was spread across Erwin’s own face. “Are you… drunk, Erwin?”, she asked.

Erwin shot her a wink. “Possibly”, he said, increasing his pace so that he came to stand in front of her. “And since I’m no longer indisposed by the nobility, and am feeling more relaxed, would you do me the honor of letting me have the next dance?”, he asked, extending his hand to her courteously.  
Eva’s heart thudded in her chest, and she awkwardly turned her gaze to the floor to hide her embarrassment. “It’s been a long time since I’ve danced. I wouldn’t want to embarrass you”, she said, but stopped when she felt Erwin’s hand reach under her chin, tilting her head up to look at his face. His expression was so meltingly sweet and affectionate, that Eva had to fight the urge to kiss him right there and then.

“I would be the biggest fool in this world, if I was ever embarrassed to dance with a woman as beautiful as you”.

At that, Eva could no longer hide the blood rushing to her face, and she could only dazedly grasp Erwin’s hand as he led her onto the dance floor. As they took their position amongst the other couples, Eva found herself unable to focus on the gleam of the lights, or the musicians beginning their next piece, or anything else beyond the feeling of Erwin’s chest pressed against her own, his hand on her waist and his fingers wrapped around hers. In his arms, she felt safe yet vulnerable, strong yet weak-kneed, and she marveled at the ability of her commander to shake her more than a whole horde of Titans. They moved through the dance completely in sync, spinning and swaying as if they were just two birds flying through the air, and as Eva stared into Erwin’s face, she felt as if she could get lost forever in his eyes. There was so much emotion revealing itself to her in his blue gaze, and deep down, Eva wished she could stay in his arms for an eternity, digging down into the depths of his soul.

In other words, she wasn’t simply in love with him - she was completely, utterly whipped.

As the dance came to a close, Eva gazed up at Erwin, who was looking down at her with star-filled eyes. For a moment, both of them lingered in their trances, until the applause of the couples around them broke Eva out of her bewilderment, and she reflexively stepped back, the blush on her face prevalent. “That was… um...amazing. I never knew you were such a good dancer”, she stuttered, trying to find her words. Perceiving nothing but silence from her partner, she looked up at Erwin again, who was still staring at her, a determined expression falling over his face. “Erwin?”, she asked, raising her hand to his face in concern.

Quicker than she could register, Erwin grabbed her hand and led her off the dance floor, maneuvering through the crowds towards the edge of the ballroom. “Hey! What’s wrong? Did I do something?”, she asked, her mind reeling with confusion as the commander led her through darkened hallways towards the entrance to the courtyard, his head darting from side to side as if checking something. “Erwin, where are we-”

Just as quickly as he had dragged her off, Erwin stopped short and turned around to face her, with Eva practically colliding with his chest and having to grab onto his arms to steady herself. Before she could react, her eyes widened as a new sensation encapsulated her every nerve.

Erwin was kissing her. And he wasn’t just kissing her- he was kissing her desperately.

Stunned, Eva froze for a moment, before every fibre of her being became engulfed by the sensation of Erwin’s lips moving against her own, and she lost herself in him, her hands coming up to grip his shoulders. Shutting her eyes, she felt Erwin’s hand trail up from her face to tangle itself in her hair, his fingers seeming to relish the feeling of her hair being down from its usual braid. Everything about him was so intoxicating- his touch, his warmth, the taste of sweetened wine on his lips - that Eva felt her knees go weak, causing Erwin to move his other arm to her back and press her gently up against the wall behind her. When she eventually broke away for air, it took all of her willpower not to pass out as she panted, gazing up into Erwin’s half-lidded eyes.

“I’m sorry”, the commander said, his own voice roughened from lack of air, “I know that I’m probably overstepping boundaries, both as your commander and your friend, but I just… I couldn't control myself any more”, he said, looking down as if expecting her to push him away.

Instead, Eva merely stared at him, a giddy feeling washing over her as she reached up and connected her lips with his once more. They moved in sync for a couple more seconds, before Eva broke away, offering Erwin a smile. “You don’t have to apologize, Erwin. I wouldn’t have said yes to your invitation if I didn’t care for you as well”, she said, one hand coming up to brush a few strands of golden hair from his forehead. Erwin’s eyes shut at her touch, and he leaned into her, as if needing her to survive.

“It scares me to death, knowing that both of us may be dead tomorrow…”, he said, opening his eyes to look down at her. “But I know this also… that you have enchanted me, Eva Stein, and I don’t think I could ever be torn from you except in death”.

Eva’s eyes shone, and she placed her hand over Erwin’s heart. “And you won’t have to, because as long as you live, I’ll be by your side, if you want me to”, she whispered, her eyes dipping down to Erwin’s lips as he pressed up against her again, his kiss both passionate and gentle all at once. Although Eva felt that she could kiss him forever, she wasn’t disappointed when Erwin’s lips broke from hers and traveled to her ear.

“Let’s get out of here, shall we?”

*******************************************************************************************

As Eva stumbled down the steps towards the mess hall, she fought to suppress an enormous yawn that pushed its way up from inside her. Try as she might to deny it, she was exhausted. The previous night had been such a whirlwind of events, that Eva had laid in bed for a half-hour after awakening, having to convince herself that they all happened. Still, each memory that arose felt like it came from another world: entering the Commander’s Ball with Erwin, the fight with Lord Reed, dancing the night away in Erwin’s arms, the kiss in the dark, and afterwards… afterwards…

Eva’s face immediately turned tomato-red, and she shoved the thoughts of the previous night’s events down into the back of her mind. Walking into breakfast with a guilty expression on her face would probably be a surefire sign of suspicion to her fellow veterans, although she had a feeling they would find out eventually what had happened. Still, better to keep her private life a secret as long as possible.

Trying to appear as nonchalant as possible, Eva walked into the mess hall, and was greeted by the familiar sight of the cadets chatting loudly with each other over their meals, with the superior officers sitting in their usual spots in the corner of the room. Walking over to the table, Eva was unsurprised to see that Freyja looked just as tired as she was, her hands gripping a cup of strong tea for dear life. Beside her, Levi sat with his own cup, and Eva noted that the bags under his eyes, which were always present, seemed darker than usual. Only Mike and the other Squad Leaders remained undisturbed, and each of them seemed to be occupied in their own affairs. Peeking a glance around the room for any sign of Erwin, Eva figured it was worth the risk to sit down, at the very least for the coffee.

At the sound of Eva seating herself on the wooden bench, Freyja looked up from her steaming mug. “Well, good morning, sleepyhead. You sure look like hell”, the brunette commented, eyeing Eva’s exhausted appearance and slightly mussed hair.

“I could say the same to you”, Eva snarked back, reaching over Mike’s arm to grab the coffeepot and pour herself a cup. “Where did you guys even go last night?”, she asked, looking from Freyja to Levi. “I couldn’t find you guys anywhere”.

“None of your damn business, Stein”, Levi said, although Eva could swear that the captain was purposefully avoiding her gaze. Quirking a brow in suspicion, she looked at Freyja, who seemed to read her expression.

“Whatever you’re thinking, it’s not true. All that happened was that Levi got crowded by a bunch of ladies from the upper-class, and so we decided to haul ass out of there before either of us got arrested for homicide”.

“I see”, said Eva, though her suspicion still lingered. Not wanting to press the issue, she instead took a sip of her coffee, trying to act as innocent as possible before she pitched her next question. “Where’s Erwin this morning?”

“I was about to ask you the same thing”, Freyja said, a smirk crawling onto her face. “Rumor has it that the commander cancelled his early officer’s meeting this morning. Said something about being extremely tired and wanting to sleep in for a little longer”. Freyja’s green gaze seemed to bore into Eva, as if trying to condemn her. “You wouldn’t happen to know anything about that, would you?”

It took all of Eva’s willpower to keep a straight face. “I wouldn’t have asked you if I knew where he was, would I?”, she said, turning her attention to her coffee mug. 

“Oh really? So what did you and Erwin do last night after we left?”  
Before Eva could respond, a loud crash made everyone in the hall jump slightly, and Eva turned to see Hange striding into the mess hall, Moblit cowering slightly behind them. “Morning, fellow soldiers! It sure is a wonderful day to find some Titans!”, the scientist said enthusiastically, hopping over to sit next to Eva.

“Oi, four-eyes, some of us are wanting to enjoy our breakfasts in peace here, so quit shouting”, Levi grumbled. Silently, Eva had to thank Hange, just this once, for their rambunctiousness- it was a surefire way to redirect the conversation.

“Oh, my bad, Levi! I forgot you all were at that Gala last night”, Hange said, their eyes gleaming with delight. “Remind me to thank Erwin later, by the way… I heard that he managed to convince some of the king’s financial advisors to expand our budget on Titan research for the next year!”’

“Great”, Levi deadpanned, his tired gray eyes staring Hange down with annoyance. “Just more money for you to toss into your stupid experiments”.

“Well, someone’s grumpier than usual this morning”, Hange said, though their smile never wavered. “It’s odd though, that Erwin decided to sleep in today. I’ve never know Erwin to cancel an officer’s meeting due to fatigue… unless he was sick, of course”

Seeing Freyja’s gaze begin to shift over to her again, Eva immediately attempted to redirect the conversation. “Well, I’m sure that Erwin will be more than willing to discuss your grants with you as soon as he’s available, Hange”, she said, causing the scientist to turn to her, their eyes wide with excitement.

“Aww, Eva! I’m so glad you think so too!”, they said, squealing with delight. All of a sudden, however, Hange’s demeanor seemed to change, causing Eva to look at her curiously. “Say, Eva, did you hit yourself with your 3D-Maneuver Gear recently?”

“Ummm, no?”, Eva said, puzzled. “Why do you ask?”

“Well, there’s some sort of bruise on your neck. I was just wondering what happened”.

Eva’s face immediately paled, and she prayed silently that Freyja hadn’t been paying attention. “I think it’s just a shadow, Hange”, she laughed awkwardly, and turned to her coffee.

“No it’s not… it’s there, that little purple spot underneath your collar”

Eva’s mind went blank, but it was too late. Faster than she could pull up her collar, Freyja had reached forward and pushed back her jacket, revealing the obvious bruises that littered her neck. “I fucking KNEW IT!!”, Freyja screeched, dropping back into her seat, startling the others around her. “You and Erwin hooked up, didn’t you?!”

Eva’s face immediately exploded into an embarrassed blush, and she took in Freyja’s devilish expression and Levi’s amused smirk. “N-No, of course not! We didn’t- I mean I didn’t- we just went to the party as friends, that’s all!”, she stammered, but it was clear that no one was buying her story.

“About damn time. I was getting tired of you guys staring across the field at each other like a couple of lovesick idiots”, Levi said, his face clearly showing his enjoyment. “Better treat him well, Stein, or I’ll kick your ass”.

“Gee, thanks”, Eva grumbled, slumping back down in her seat and trying to ignore Freyja’s stream of “I told you so” statements. Next to her, Hange seemed confused, and began looking back and forth between the three vets, before the answer clicked in their brain.

“Ohhh, I see! So you and Erwin finally got together!”, they said, causing Eva to blush and hide her face in her arms. “I get it now! But then, that doesn’t explain the mark on your neck, Freyja”.

Startled, Eva raised her arms to look at Hange, before a coughing sound caused her to glance over to Freyja, who seemed to have frozen in her seat. Next to her, Levi seemed to have choked on his tea, and was struggling to recover his composure. “What are you talking about, Hange?”, Eva inquired, causing Freyja to give her a slightly panicked look.

“Well, when Freyja leaned forward, I noticed that there was a marking on her neck too. Actually, there were a few, if I remember correctly”, Hange said, obviously oblivious to the situation. Eva was confused for a moment as well, before the pieces clicked in her head, and she gazed over at Levi and Freyja, who were looking as far away from each other as possible. 

“Well, well… got anything to say, you two?”

Freyja looked at her, an overly innocent expression plastered on her face. “I have no idea what you’re talking about”, she said, before quickly standing up from the table. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I forgot I have some important business to deal with”. With that, the squad leader strode out of the mess hall, leaving a shocked Eva and a very confused Hange behind. 

Glancing over at Levi, Eva took in the captain’s poor attempt at hiding his blush behind his teacup, before the absurdity of the situation finally hit her, and a laugh escaped her throat. Soon, she was doubled over in a fit of giggles on the table, and while she heard Levi’s immediate yelling at her to be quiet and Hange’s confused inquiries, the smile never left her face. After all, she had gotten to confess to the love of her life, and it appeared that, to more than one party, the previous night had been one to remember.


End file.
